Who here applied to schools the summer after their junior year?

[bozz]

At interviews, I meet maybe 1-2 other people who are applying straight from college.

I feel like we are in the minority lol. I always thought <22 year olds were in the majority.

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[PagingDrP]

Yea, same. I kind of understand why though now. It is really hard applying senior year, def failing all of my classes and constantly stressed out. Not really able to enjoy my first semester of senior year...oh well at least I get to save a year in this really long road.

I hope they don't judge us the same as people who have taken 1+ years off, and judge us in context of the three years we've had to build up our resumes.

 

[TupacalipseT96]

Yea seems everyone I know is taking a year off.

Hippies.

 

[cbrons]

I'm in my junior yr and plan on applying at the beginning of this summer. If I don't get in, I'll be fine with it. I can apply again the next year and do a 1 year masters program in psychology that I was considering doing anyway.

 

[SiR99]

I hope they don't judge us the same as people who have taken 1+ years off, and judge us in context of the three years we've had to build up our resumes.

The problem is that they do judge you guys the same, they are looking for the best applicant, it doesnt matter if it took that person longer to apply.

Its not a race, its a matter of presenting your positive attributes and experiences, and most of the time people who have had that extra year or years are the ones who have better life experiences to show for it.

Maybe back in the day it was typical for people to apply during their junior year, but from all the average ages reported by schools its obvious they are looking for people in their mid twenties

 

[bozz]

The problem is that they do judge you guys the same, they are looking for the best applicant, it doesnt matter if it took that person longer to apply.

Its not a race, its a matter of presenting your positive attributes and experiences, and most of the time people who have had that extra year or years are the ones who have better life experiences to show for it.

Maybe back in the day it was typical for people to apply during their junior year, but from all the average ages reported by schools its obvious they are looking for people in their mid twenties

Depends on why people took years off as well. Many of those that I've met took time off to work on their GPAs, did a post-bac because they realized they wanted to do medicine their senior year .. and so on. In then end, I feel that they look at how much you've done with your "potential" given the time you've had.

 

[saveourpens]

hmm, so taking your prereqs before your junior year is up, studying for the MCATS in the summer, taking the MCATS and applying senior year is not the traditional route?

 

[RySerr21]

hmm, so taking your prereqs before your junior year is up, studying for the MCATS in the summer, taking the MCATS and applying senior year is not the traditional route?

I'm applying out of college (i started app when i was 21, but will be 22 soon), and the route you described is not the one I took.

I will not have finished my pre reqs til my very last semester of college, so you dont need to finish them before your junior year is up. You just need to have a majority of them done.

I didnt study for the MCAT in the summer. I studied for it during the spring semester of my junior year and took it a few weeks after the semester was over.

That being said, I kinda wish I applied for a Fullbright or somethign like th that and would have just deferred a year and started in the class of 2014. Oh well!

 

[DrYoda]

Maybe back in the day it was typical for people to apply during their junior year, but from all the average ages reported by schools its obvious they are looking for people in their mid twenties

They are looking for lots of things, your age is not one of them.

The median age is of matriculation is 23 (source:http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/2008/age0208.htm). Considering this is around the average age of someone who graduates with a bachelors in the US I wouldn't say there's a bias towards older applicants.

 

[MDman87]

My understanding is that the average pre-med studies for the MCAT in the Spring of his junior year, takes the MCAT late spring/early summer of junior year, and applies to med school the summer between junior and senior year. This enables the person - if accepted - to matriculate during the fall immediately following senior year of undergrad. Maybe this isn't the most common course of action (although I think it is), but it's what I plan to do

 

[airplanes]

I hang around with a group of 6 other pre-meds. I'm the only one who applied after Junior year...the rest are staying in school longer or taking time off. Definitely felt like I jumped the gun and applied too early until I got my first acceptance a few weeks ago. Acceptances solve everything

 

[RySerr21]

They are looking for lots of things, your age is not one of them.

The median age is of matriculation is 23 (source:http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/2008/age0208.htm). Considering this is around the average age of someone who graduates with a bachelors in the US I wouldn't say there's a bias towards older applicants.

Doesnt it say the age is 24?? Even if it is 23, thats definitely not the average of someoen who graduates college. I'm considered old for my class and I'm about to turn 22. I wont be 23 til November my first year of med school.

Applying (or matriculating ) at 23 is gonna be a year off of school for a good a majority of people.

 

[Raryn]

I'm applying as a Senior and hope to matriculate right after I graduate...

Its the traditional (and used to be the only) path, and I don't see why I should waste a year of my life working at some random job if I already know what I want to do...

 

[tabletop]

If the median age is 23, then that means more than half will be probably be in the narrow range of 21-23... there's also going to be a lot of people >25 (most likely people who decided to go into medicine later on in life, because I'm sure not too many pre-meds would be cool taking 3+ years off)... but yeah, I'm sure the 21,22, and 23-year-olds vastly outnumber any other age.

 

[scarletgirl777]

Depends on why people took years off as well. Many of those that I've met took time off to work on their GPAs, did a post-bac because they realized they wanted to do medicine their senior year .. and so on. In then end, I feel that they look at how much you've done with your "potential" given the time you've had.

I certainly hope so. It's great to say that so and so published 5 papers during their PhD program and went on to start a company...but if so and so is 35, it's ridiculous to expect the 22-year old applicant to have done similarly impressive things. It should be about what you did with the resources and time you had.

 

[KempDrumsalot]

I'm applying as a Senior and hope to matriculate right after I graduate...

Its the traditional (and used to be the only) path, and I don't see why I should waste a year of my life working at some random job if I already know what I want to do...

Here here!

 

[DrYoda]

Doesnt it say the age is 24??

It's 23.

Even if it is 23, thats definitely not the average of someoen who graduates college. I'm considered old for my class and I'm about to turn 22. I wont be 23 til November my first year of med school.

Personal anecdotes good statistics make not.

The average time to completion of a bachelors for those that haven't stopped their studies is 55 months (~4.5 years) which for medical school means 5 years since it only has a single start date.(http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/2003/section3/indicator21.asp)

Only 33% of first time bachelor's recipients received their bachelors within 4 years of graduating highschool, 23% within 5 years (http://nces.ed.gov/das/epubs/2003165/time.asp).

Applying (or matriculating ) at 23 is gonna be a year off of school for a good a majority of people.

I'm not saying that lots of people don't take a year off, because many do. I'm saying that increased age does not correlate with increased desirability by schools or competitiveness (for the group, not individuals).

 

[AL12s]

At my interviews I was also surprised by this fact. It seemed that about 20% of the interviewing applicants were current seniors finishing their degrees. I completely agree that people should be judged based on what they have accomplished per unit time, but I am not convinced that ADCOMs agree.

I for example came into University with 1 full year of AP credit counted, so I only had 2 years to accumulate activities and experiences, thus I am at an enormous disadvantage in the EC department, since someone who took a year off after a bachelors will have had 4 full years + part of the 5th to do stuff.

 

[Raryn]

At my interviews I was also surprised by this fact. It seemed that about 20% of the interviewing applicants were current seniors finishing their degrees. I completely agree that people should be judged based on what they have accomplished per unit time, but I am not convinced that ADCOMs agree.

I for example came into University with 1 full year of AP credit counted, so I only had 2 years to accumulate activities and experiences, thus I am at an enormous disadvantage in the EC department, since someone who took a year off after a bachelors will have had 4 full years + part of the 5th to do stuff.

Thats why graduating early is not recommended for med schools. They understand about those of us who graduate college "on time," but finishing college in 3 years total really doesn't give you all the necessary ECs.

 

[cubssox2000]

At one of my interviews, I was the only undergraduate there. There were about 13 other people there, all post-college and some post-masters.

 

[supergirl87]

Yeah, I met a lotttt of people who were out of school. Many of them had really good jobs, usually in research. Clearly, their experience would help them stand out as an applicant. But I would say that the majority of the students I met were still in school. I still say that applying the summer after Junior year is the 'traditional' route. Although now adcoms like more 'mature' applicants, so what we know as the traditional route may well change over the next few years.

 

[EMTpremed181]

Personally, I think that additional years are becoming a more sought after prerequisite. Not only because of additional work experience, but because there is some correlation with age, wisdom, and experience. I know everyone is different, and I have encountered many exceptions to the rule, but I applied as a junior the first time, received two interviews and no acceptances. I applied after I graduated, I didn’t retake the MCAT, improve my GPA, or anything like that. The only thing that changed was my attitude. This year I had 9 interview offers, and four acceptances so far. The only thing I can think of, is that maybe they like to see people who understand what it means to fail, because failure is an inherent part of medicine. Or maybe they can appreciate someone who is persistent or who goes back to school later on because they realize they have a pronounced vocation. I don’t however think it’s only about the work experience. The first time I applied, I had 2 and ½ years full-time experience working on an ALS transport ambulance. I also had significant research experience.
Just my thoughts. The application process is the most subjective channel I have ever experienced, and everyone will have a different opinion.

 

[RySerr21]

It's 23.


Personal anecdotes good statistics make not.

The average time to completion of a bachelors for those that haven't stopped their studies is 55 months (~4.5 years) which for medical school means 5 years since it only has a single start date.(http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/2003/section3/indicator21.asp)

Only 33% of first time bachelor's recipients received their bachelors within 4 years of graduating highschool, 23% within 5 years (http://nces.ed.gov/das/epubs/2003165/time.asp).



I'm not saying that lots of people don't take a year off, because many do. I'm saying that increased age does not correlate with increased desirability by schools or competitiveness (for the group, not individuals).

Yes, i was thinking mean not median. Apologies. I agree with your last comment.

I certainly hope so. It's great to say that so and so published 5 papers during their PhD program and went on to start a company...but if so and so is 35, it's ridiculous to expect the 22-year old applicant to have done similarly impressive things. It should be about what you did with the resources and time you had.

They are looking for the most impressive, most competitive applicants, regardless of age. You shouldnt be given a handicap because you are a younger. If someone is older and therefore has more experience, has done more impressive things, etc. etc. then that applicant is flat out better qualified. It shouldnt be "well this person is still 22 so hasnt had the time to do all these things." You should have just waited a few years to apply and accomplsihed said things, as opposed to saying "well I WOULD have done them if i had a few extra years, so you cant hold it against me that I havent yet."

 

[rocketbooster]

Personally, I think that additional years are becoming a more sought after prerequisite. Not only because of additional work experience, but because there is some correlation with age, wisdom, and experience. I know everyone is different, and I have encountered many exceptions to the rule, but I applied as a junior the first time, received two interviews and no acceptances. I applied after I graduated, I didn’t retake the MCAT, improve my GPA, or anything like that. The only thing that changed was my attitude. This year I had 9 interview offers, and four acceptances so far. The only thing I can think of, is that maybe they like to see people who understand what it means to fail, because failure is an inherent part of medicine. Or maybe they can appreciate someone who is persistent or who goes back to school later on because they realize they have a pronounced vocation. I don’t however think it’s only about the work experience. The first time I applied, I had 2 and ½ years full-time experience working on an ALS transport ambulance. I also had significant research experience.
Just my thoughts. The application process is the most subjective channel I have ever experienced, and everyone will have a different opinion.

exactly. it's about work experience, too, but overall I think the best term is life experience. someone "failing" their 1st attempt to get into med school definitely gives them more life experience. personally, I would prefer not to have the life experience.